Green Roses
by QuietExplosion
Summary: When Torchwood Four suddenly returns, they blame Jack for their disappearance. Ianto and Gwen must but aside their differences in order to help their beloved captain.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** As this is my first fan fiction ever, I would like to apologize for anything that isn't quite right or that doesn't quite fit as I'm used to having my own characters that I created. Please rate and review with any comments or constructive criticism (I love _constructive _criticism as it helps me become a better writer), however, please no flames. I hope you enjoy the story.

Happy Reading,

QuietExplosion

* * *

Jack sighed happily as he watched, face propped up on hand, Ianto breathe softly and evenly beside him. Slowly, being careful not to disturb his boyfriend's slumber, he reached over and stroked Ianto's soft face. Ianto reacted by rolling over to face Jack, still asleep. His chest rose and fell as he breathed and his perfect lips remained slightly open. As much as it made Jack feel like a stalker, he loved watching Ianto sleep. During the day, he was always stressed and busy, rarely happy; but at night, all his worries were gone as he slept, usually, soundlessly. Occasionally, a nightmare would slip into his dreams, but Jack would always be there to comfort him and make him forget whatever horror he had seen.

In the main center of the Hub, Jack heard the door open and someone step inside. He sat up in the bed, slid his legs over the edge and rose to see who was upstairs. As he went towards the ladder, he grabbed and put on a pair of pants that lay on a chair, discarded from last night and a wrinkled button-up shirt, which he didn't bother to button. He climbed the ladder as quietly as possible, looking back as he went to make sure he hadn't awoken Ianto. From his office window, he could see who had entered the Hub without alarming them, just in case they were dangerous.

The person he found, however, was the opposite of dangerous, at least to the other members of Torchwood. Though he could only see the back of her head, he would recognize her straight black hair anywhere. He checked his watch to make sure he had not overslept and it wasn't actually eight, when she normally showed up. Jack threw open his door and stepped out into the Hub, meeting Gwen's eyes immediately. "Gwen, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, sorry, did I wake you?"

"No, I was already up. What are you doing here?" he repeated, pulling his shirt closed as he saw her eyes constantly glancing down at his bare chest.

Gwen shifted her weight nervously, "I need somewhere to stay for a few days."

"What's wrong with your apartment?"

"Rhys and I…uh, had a fight."

Jack eyebrows rose in surprise, "He kicked you out?"

"No, no, no! I left."

"You left Rhys?" Jack shouted, and then looked over his shoulder, checking that his shout hadn't woken Ianto.

"Of course not! Just temporarily."

"Don't you have any friends you can stay with?"

"I would rather they didn't know we were fighting."

"What about P.C. Andy?"

Gwen gave Jack a "you've got to be kidding me" look and said, "Jack, Andy's basically in love with me and Rhys knows that. If I stayed with him, Rhys would think I was having an affair."

"And he wouldn't think that about you staying here?"

"He doesn't know you live here."

Jack silently moaned. Gwen knew about Ianto and him, but he doubted if she knew how serious they actually were; that he, too, now practically lived at Torchwood. Not only would it put a damper on their relationship, but recently Gwen and Ianto had not been getting along incredibly well, and Jack was positive it was due to Gwen's infatuation with Jack.

"Are you sure you want to sleep here? In can be quite noisy." Gwen raised her eyebrows, and Jack clarified, highly embarrassed, "with the Rift acting up and Myfanwy."

"And Ianto?" Gwen asked.

"What?" Jack said, trying to cover, "What are you talking about?"

Gwen pointed at something behind Jack and then crossed her arms in triumph. Jack turned around to see Ianto standing at his office door in only a pair of grey sweatpants. "Um…hi, Gwen," Ianto said, crossing his arms in an attempt to cover himself.

"Hello, Ianto."

Jack looked from Ianto to Gwen and then back to Gwen. "You two are really serious now, aren't you?" Gwen asked, her eyebrows rising to hide behind her bangs.

"Yes, Gwen, we are."

"Oh," she said, overly defensive, "I guess it might not be the best idea to stay here, then?"

"Probably—" Jack began, but Ianto stepped forward and placed his hand on his lover's shoulder.

"It's all right, Jack, Gwen can stay. Would you like a cup of coffee?"

"Thank you, Ianto," Gwen said in reply to both offers.

"What are you doing, Ianto?" Jack whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

"She has just as much right as we, well I, do to be here. Anyway, she and Rhys never fight long. She'll be gone again soon."

Ianto lifted his hand from Jack's shoulder and walked away toward the kitchen. Jack couldn't help but stare as the young Welshman went to do his usual coffee duties. Gwen threw the light bag she had carried in on the couch. She then sat beside the bag and crossed her legs. She patted the spot next to her, offering it to Jack. Reluctantly, he took the seat, leaning against the armrest so that there was as much distance as possible between them. Had this been any other time, anytime before Ianto, Jack would be all over Gwen the second she wanted him to, which, by the way she was acting, was right now. But, no. Not while he was with Ianto; never. Ianto was different than any other person he had been with in a long time.

"So it's all right, then, if I stay?"

"Of course. But, if you don't mind my asking, what are you and Rhys fighting about?"

Gwen sighed and Jack, though not looking at her, could feel that she had scooted slightly closer. "Rhys…he doesn't understand this job; the risks and stress and everything. He doesn't understand that there are some things I can't, I never will be able, to do…like have children."

Jack nodded in understanding; this wasn't the first time Rhys and Gwen had a fight over this topic. "He'll realize it isn't a good idea eventually. At least he knows about Torchwood. If he didn't, he really wouldn't understand why you don't want kids."

"But the thing is," Gwen said, twirling her thumbs, "I _do _want kids, but you know the job."

Jack laughed, "Oh, yes. I do know the job quite well. I've only been here a few decades."

Gwen laughed with him, the first smile since she had arrived spreading across her face. While they laughed together, Ianto reentered with a tray of three coffee mugs. After he had handed each one a cup of his delicious, steaming blend, he sat on the armrest besides Jack. Jack placed his arm around Ianto's waist casually, and Ianto asked, "What are you two laughing about?"

"Nothing," Gwen said.

Over by the desk that used to belong to Tosh, the Rift monitor let out a few beeps. Jack got up and went to check on it. Gwen, innocently enough, asked Ianto, "So, you've been staying here? I guess the job really has become twenty-four seven."

Ianto laughed uneasily.

Gwen leaned in closer and whispered threateningly into his ear, "Don't think I'm out of Jack's mind, Ianto. I still have just as much chance as you do."

Ianto swallowed nervously as he looked over to Jack, who returned the gaze with a carefree smile.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Wow, people actually read my story! I'm kind of in awe. Thank you so much, everyone! Once again, please review and I'll try to have the next chapter up in another week, if not earlier.

* * *

"Do you understand me, Ianto?" Gwen asked, taking a threatening step closer to him.

Without waiting for an answer, she stepped away, towards the Rift monitor. While looking at the map that showed where the Rift activity was located, she leaned close to Jack, making Ianto uncomfortable as he adverted his eyes and went back to the kitchen. It was the place he felt the safest, his fortress. As he sipped his coffee slowly, he could hear the voices of his fellow Torchwood members as they discussed the latest activity.

"It's small," he heard Jack say, relived, "so I think I can handle it by myself."

"Are you positive? Even if it was small, it could still be dangerous. I should probably come with you just to be safe."

"No, I can handle it. After all, if I die, it won't be much of a loss."

Their two laughs echoed through the Hub, Gwen's high and light, Jack's deeper and heartier. The sound of them ringing together made Ianto sick. For over a year now, Jack and he had a very exclusive relationship, which was a big change for Jack. Gwen constantly threatened it, always flirting with Jack, despite her having a fiancé. Ianto could definitely see _why _she would want Jack, he was handsome, to say the least, funny, and generally caring; and Rhys, well, he wasn't much to brag about, but the relationship he and Gwen had was real and true, despite all the fights they had.

"Are you sure you don't want any help?" Gwen persisted. "Just someone to keep you company?"

"No, keep Ianto company here at the Hub, I'm fine."

Jack threw on his military coat in an over-dramatic sweep and took large strides to the invisible lift. He waved good-bye, a cheery smile on his face as his rose up and to the surface.

The next hour was incredibly awkward. Not a single sound was heard throughout the Hub except Gwen's footsteps as she paced around the work stations. In Ianto's opinion, the Hub was too quiet nowadays. Ever since Toshiko and Owen had died, the atmosphere was cold; there wasn't a random joke thrown into an air, snickers starting abruptly, or the all around pleasant conversations. If they were lucky, there would be a conversation between two of them while working, but all three of them were rarely involved.

Ianto eventually moved from the kitchen to the archives, the sound of Gwen moving about was going to make him ill. The problem with the archives, however, was that even when Tosh and Owen were alive, it was always dead quiet. It was unnatural and rather eerie, but at the same time, calming and wonderful. Being down there cleared Ianto's head; the smell of old paper, the cold air, all of it, did wonders on a busy mind.

Gwen didn't stand a chance, or at least Ianto hoped that was so. She had her chance a few years ago, and Jack had turned her down. He turned her down and she got engaged to Rhys. Ianto knew, and feared, that had Gwen not been dating Rhys, Jack probably would have started a relationship with her, and Ianto and he would not have been anywhere near where they were today.

The alarm that signaled someone had entered the Hub beeped and Ianto rushed out to the main area to check if it was Jack returning. When he made it there, he saw Gwen, her arms wrapped around Jack in a warm hug. While she hugged him, much to Ianto's relief, Jack remained limp, awkwardly standing there, waiting for Gwen to release him.

Eventually, she got the hint and let go. "Did you find anything?" Ianto asked.

Jack raised the bag he held to the side and proclaimed, "I found this."

Ianto didn't see anything special about the bag and from the way it hung loosely, there didn't appear to be anything inside. It was about the size of an average backpack and was made of a brown material that reminded Ianto of a potato sack. There was writing, some kind of logo, on it, but from where he stood, Ianto could not make it out.

"What is it, Jack?" Gwen asked.

Jack took a few steps forward, out of the doorway and placed the bag on a table. As he moved, so did Ianto to be closer to Jack and be able to see what the bag was.

"Is there anything in it?" inquired Gwen.

"Nope," Jack said, proud of the fact.

"Is it an alien bag?" Ianto asked, jokingly.

Jack picked it up and flipped it over so that all three of them could examine the writing. Gwen's eyes widened as she saw what was written there. "No way," she said, shock shown by her expression and open mouth.

Jack smiled smugly and gestured to the bag, encouraging Ianto to take a few steps toward it so that he, too, could marvel in whatever was so amazing. "Come on, Ianto, don't be shy. Come see what I have miraculously pulled from the Rift."

When Ianto saw it, his face exactly mimicked Gwen's. "Oh my god…"

"What does this mean, Jack?" Gwen said.

"I think," Ianto began, "this means they didn't just hide away. I think this means they were pulled into the Rift."

Jack smiled at Ianto, "Exactly."

Gwen looked at Jack and then to Ianto, her face still comprised of complete shock. "But," she said, directing the statement at Jack, "I thought you said they disappeared."

"They did. Well, I guess we know they did a little more than that now."

"I have one question," Ianto said jokingly, his face deadpan, "why don't we get cool backpacks?"

Jack laughed and Gwen stole another glance at the bold words on the pack, printed in a black block font that was rather intimidating. Never since she joined Torchwood and even since Jack told her of the other Torchwoods did she believe she would ever see anything like this. She wanted to reach out and touch the bag, to make sure that it was real and to make sure it said what she thought it read: Torchwood Four.


End file.
